Going Viral
My computer has a virus. Things that are supposed to work are working okay. I'm not losing anything important just yet. But something from the shadows keeps barging in on what I'm doing, trying to sell me things. It's distracting and annoying at best. I was thinking that this is a pretty good picture of how sin works in our lives. We make a little allowance, a little compromise or an excuse or a rationalization, like, "It's just a little sin," or "It's my own life and my own business, so I'll do what I want," and so on and so on. We collect unwittingly a nice little stockpile in our soul's basement and think it's out of sight, out of mind, no big deal. So what if we have these little eruptions of consequences from time to time. We often don't even make the connection. It's just a bad day or bad luck or something unrelated to the seed we've sown.
I'm always amazed at the stuff crooked people put on their computers, which are later confiscated and their deeds exposed. Aren't they savvy enough to know that everything gets stored somewhere in the hard drive and that some geek will be smart enough to call it up and find condemning evidence against them in the future?
The Bible tells us that each of us will stand before God and give and account of the deeds we've done in the body. Were it not for Jesus' mercy and forgiveness, His saving grace, that would be an overwhelmingly terrifying bit of revelation. To stand in the presence of a holiness so intense that it is described as a consuming fire and to be so unfit to survive the heat because of all the accumulated unholiness of a life carelessly lived is not a pretty picture. Nothing good can come of such an encounter. Except... as one of our Presbyterian confessions puts it, "our judge is our redeemer." How wonderful! I am glad that when I go and stand in God's presence, I will meet a full blown trinity that is relentlessly and flawlessly for me and not against me. I guess that's why they call it Good News. I hope you know it personally for yourself.
Welcome the love of Jesus. You'll be glad you did for all eternity!
My book, Gold Mining in the Pit of Sorrow: a journey through child loss and grief, is available on Amazon.com. Just type in the title and you'll find it. If you order three, shipping will be free, so knock yourself out! I hope to participate in Collingswood's book fair in October. If you will, please pray that this book will reach those who need comfort. Thanks.
